Wall construction



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WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed May 28, 1947 auf Patented Nov. Z1, 1950 UNITED STATES yFerrari "OFFICE 2,530,940 vicini. eONSTItUc'rIoN- John Dahlin, Minneapolis, Minn. Application' May 28, 1947, 'Serial No. '750,979

(Cl. mia-31) 1.Cla`im.

Miypresent invention relates generally to'building wall structures and, more' specifically, to foundation wal'ls Aof `hollow block construction.

The primary object' di my vinvention is the provision of a wall having 'horizontal and vertical passages therein which, `in cooperation with the integiallyef'ormed and vcoopera-'ting chimney nue construction, Will 'eliminate moisture and dampiiess usuallyfound in basement or subterranean walls. v

Another object o'i my "invention'is the provision of awall of the'typef'immediately above-described, which may be constructed `of relatively inexpensivel building' vblocks' or 4the like', which is durable, and which in Aus"evvil1 eliminate dampness both Within the' wail vand within the space circumscribed`4 by the Wallbyl utilizing the' natural draft of 'a chimney to circulate air' within the wall The above'and other objects and advantages of mjy'invention will become'apparent from the iol-- lowing detailed specification', appended claims, and attachedV drawings.

Referring toY .the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a wall embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partly in section, taken on the' line 2'-2 of Fig'. 1;

Fig. 3f is a View corresponding somewhat to Fig. 1`,but showi-ngonly tWo horizontalV tiers of blocks;

Figfi issarrenlarged perspective view of Aan end 'Ora corner 'blockof the type used in my Wall construction;

Fig. islar perspective View of an intermediate block used inmy improved-wall construction;

Fig.. 6.is a perspective view of a chimney ueforming block; and

Fig, 'l isa perspective view oi a diiierent type of" chimney 'nue-forming block.

Referring with. greater particularity to the drawings,` the .lettera indicates a-suitable foundation, such as basement flooring., upon which is laid the Wall structure, identiiied in its entirety by the numeral I. Preferably and as shown, my novel wall is primarily composed of intermediate blocks 2 and end or corner blocks 3. Each block 2 is a monolithic structure, preferably formed from concrete or the like and comprising laterally-opposed longitudinally-extending side walls 4 joined by vertically-extending transverse partitions 5. The side walls 4 and the partitions 5 define vertical passages 6, the purpose of which will hereinafter become apparent. The partitions 5 are, at one end. each ush with the ad- 2 jacent edge portionof-v the walls '4. Their other ends are formed-with segmental notches or lconcavities, as indicated at l.

The end partitions 5 of each block 2 arespaced inwardly from the-endsvof the side Walls 41 so that when two or more of the blocks 2 are laid iin-end'- to-endrelationa still further vertical -passage' is formed between said block-s. y

The end or corner blocks 3 are' composed efr-theV same material as the blocks 2 and comprise longitudinally-extending side wal-1578 and 9 and an end wal-l I5. Longitudinally-spaced verticallyeXtendir-ig transverse partitions Il between the walls 8 Iand 9 aren-usb with one longitudinal edge of the-Walls and 9 at one of their ends and are formed' with segmental notches I2 at their other ends. The side walls 8 and 9, the end wall l0', and the partitions II define vertical air passages I3. A It will be noted that the end Wall Iis'f1`ush at both of its ends with the longitudinal edges of the side Walls 8 and 9 and, as shown particularly 'in Fig. 4, vside wall 8 is provided adjacent one end with a segmental notch I4, which lies in the same horizontal plane but at right angles to the 'notches IZ- in the partitions I I.

The Wall structure I is further made up of'a vplurality of flue-forming blocks I5 and Iii.- As shown in Fig. v6, the block I5 is rectangularly tubular in form being provided WithV a vertical passage I'I therethrough. The blocks le are similar in shapeto the blocks' I5, but are further provided with segmental notches 'IB in one side wall thereof which extend from the vertical'passage iIi'I therethrough to the exterior of the block lAs shown in Figs'. 1 to 3 inclusive, the bottom tier of Wall I is made up Yof blocks 2 and 3, laid on the oor a in` an inverted position, and a b'lo'ek I'S also in an inverted position. This arrange'- ment creates a horizontal segmental passage 49', dened by the floor a and the segmental notches 1, I2-, I4, and I8. The bottom tier is laid with one of the end or corner blocks 3 abutting `the inverted nue-forming block I6 andV having''its-seg` mental notch I4 opening into the room or space which will be at least partially dened by the iinished wall. It will be here noted that there is no horizontal passage between the flue-forming block I6 and the adjacent block 3.

The second tier is laid with the blocks 2 and 3 and a flue-forming block I6 in a normal upright position. The third tier, however, is laid with the blocks 2 and 3 and a nue-forming block I6 in an inverted position in the same manner as the lowermost tier. The segmental notches 1, I2, I4, and I8 thus assume opposed positions to form therebetween a substantially circular horizontal passage 20.

It is obvious that, in properly laying a wall of the type herein described, it is necessary to have end or corner blocks 3 both of the right and left hand types, wherein the notch I4 is transposed from the wall 8 to the wall 9. In other words, some of the blocks 3 would have notches I4 in the Walls 8 thereof and others would be provided with notches I4 in the wall 9 thereof adjacent the endwall I so that, whether the block is laid at one side of the corner or the other, or Whether in an inverted or upright position, the notch I4 may be made to properly register with the notches 'I in the adjacent intermediate blocks to form continuousy horizontal passages I9 or 2D.

As is usually necessary in the building of wall structures such as herein described, the different blocks 2 are in a staggered vertical relationship with the central portion of one of the blocks 2 resting upon the end portions of two abutting blocks in the tier directly beneath. In order to utilize the flue-forming blocks I5 and I6, it is, therefore, necessary to provide intermediate blocks similar to the blocks 2, but of approximately one-half the length thereof. Usually these blocks are provided by simply dividing one of the blocks 2 into two substantially equal parts, and I have indicated these shorter blocks by the numeral 2'.

The fourth and fth tiers of the wall I are similar to the second and third with the exception that flue-forming blocks I5 are substituted for the nue-forming blocks I6 so that the horizontal passage between the fourth and fth tiers will have no direct opening into the vertical passage II. Subsequent tiers are preferably laid in the same manner as the fourth and fifth tiers. However, attention is called to the fact that at a suitable height from the floor, a pair of flueforming blocks I6 are used, one being in an upright position and the one immediately thereabove in an inverted position so that the notches I8 therein form a substantially circular outwardly-opening passage 2| for the reception of an exhaust stack of a furnace, not shown.

The wall I may be built to any suitable height and finished oif in suitable manner without interference with the function thereof.

It will be apparent that a wall built as above provided will have therein a network of interconnecting horizontal and vertical passages. Furthermore, my arrangement of opening I4 to atmosphere and opening I8 to the ue I'I, insures a circulation of air through the entire Wall. Thus, the natural draft in the flue I7 tends to pull air through the openings I8 in the lower flue blocks I6 from the interior of the wall I, causing a current of air to enter the interior of the wall I through the opening I4 in the block 3 adjacent the ue block I6 in the lowermost tier. The result of circulation ci air through the interior of the wall I will evaporate any moisture which will tend 4 to accumulate therein and keep the wall and the space defined thereby in a dry and healthy condition.

It should be obvious that, in the construction of my novel wall, a somewhat diierent arrangement of the blocks 2, 2', 3, I5, and I6 than that shown in the accompanying drawings, may be had without avoiding the spirit of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. Particularly is this true of the location of openings I4, I8, or 28, the precise location of which is not important.

What I claim is:

A building wall circumscribing a given area and formed from tiers of blocks, said wall being made up primarily of blocks having laterally-opposed longitudinally-extending side walls joined by vertically-extending longitudinally-spaced partitions, Said side walls of the partitions dei'lning vertical passages therethrough, said partitions at one end being ush with ther adjacent edges of the side walls and at their opposite ends being formed with segmental notches, said blocks being positioned with respect to each other in said wall to provide horizontally-extended passages between alternate pairs of tiers and vertioally-extended wall passages which communicate with said horizontally-extended passages, a chimney flue in said building wall extending upwardly from one of the lowermost tiers of said wall and having an opening in the intermediate portion thereof adapted to receive the exhaust stack of a furnace, said chimney flue having a lateral opening at one side communicating with the inter-connecting vertical and horizontal passages in said Wall, said wall being provided with a lateral opening adjacent its base communicating with atmosphere within the area dened by the wall, said opening being located on the side of the iiue opposite the opening within the side of the iiue connecting with ther inter-connecting vertical and horizontal passages in the wall.

JOHN DAHLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le oi' this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS 

